The day Michael Carrick showed Francesco Totti, who is the boss!

Football Stories
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Feb 24, 2026
Back before wingers role being killed in football. They were world class and pure talent. No a robotic gameplay
Pressure. It's an overused word in football.
Nobody ever quite tells you what it is, how it evidences itself,
but there is pressure on Manchester United now, make no mistake about it.
Defeated Rome last week, sort of that. Defeated Portsmouth, built it up.
It's that time of the year when a whole season can be broken in the space of a few days.
The time of the year when Sir Alec Ferguson has made his name
as United's most successful ever manager.
Handling pressure is his job and he's been very, very good at his job for 15 years and more now.
United know that their star turns have got to turn it on.
They know who they are, we know what they're capable of.
These are the nights when the best players find their best form and their best moments.
Pizarro trying his luck from range,
and Van der Sar is able to wave that past his post.
Rooney on the left, David?
Yes, Rooney on the left.
Both line-ups. Ronaldo finding Smith, again, going instantly for goal.
Big night for Alan Smith.
Absolutely, a chance to restore.
Allowed to turn. And shoot!
And beat Van der Sar and beat his right-hand post.
And Manchester United cannot afford to allow that kind of freedom to Francesco Totti.
It's quite clear that...
Totti encouraging Vucinic to go forward and it's a lovely step over and an awful shot.
Completely wrong-footed.
Wes Brown to create the space for the shot.
Well done.
Pass for Carrick, take it and he's tried!
Alan truly led Manchester United.
It's night we were praying for, but look at the clinical pattern.
Twice as many away games as they've lost this season.
Terrific pass from Carrick to Ainsley and now Giggs.
Oh, he's found a way through!
Alan Smith!
First goal in nearly 18 months.
What a moment for him.
Yeah, terrific move.
Rossi, Robbenucci, finding Smith.
Waiting the centre.
Rooney!
So much pace.
Ainsley.
Vucinic caught in possession by O'Shea.
Ronaldo thought about the shot.
He'll think about it again now.
Something like that.
Cristiano Ronaldo looks angry with himself.
He needn't be so difficult to handle because every time he picks up the ball he goes deep.
Crossed in towards De Rossi who goes down under challenge from O'Shea.
He made that decision but he got it.
Wilhelmsen.
Pizarro.
Squeeze it.
Burned it out.
Well-defined.
Ronaldo!
For the return pass.
He'd run a long way there, Rio Ferdinand.
Whether he ever seriously thought...
Giggs with the corner.
It's headed by Carrick.
Back to him off Doney at an awkward height.
Thumbs up from Carrick.
Three from Giggs.
I haven't seen that one.
Suspension.
Giggs.
Here is Cristiano Ronaldo.
Kivo.
Beating Kivo.
Beating the goalkeeper.
Step inside and make an angle for the shot.
Rather easily against Cassetti.
De Rossi.
Ball by Mancini.
Not as far as Rooney though.
Flimsy challenge from Totti.
Giggs.
Terrific cross.
Smith is there.
It's Ronaldo!
Manchester United 5-0 Roma.
A start of the second half as they end in the first.
They are rampant.
Giggs again.
Unstoppable.
Giggs again.
What a fantastic ball.
What an invitation.
What a brilliant Portuguese winger.
I mean he is absolutely fantastic Ronaldo.
But easy for Carrick.
From him though.
Cassetti is offside.
Cassetti and Panucci have switched flanks.
The two full backs.
I should think they both got a headache after that first half.
Looked at his group at half time.
And said you put us in the mire.
You're going to have to try and get us out of the mire.
Not that that is for sure.
But no movement from the substitutes bench.
The Italian team.
Just a bewildered manager.
Been absolutely humbled tonight.
Totti.
Wilhelmsen made a run beyond him.
And Totti wrapped it against Ferdinand for a corner kick.
Big Gunner Solskjaer has just arrived to join the party.
Alan Smith has lobbed the goalkeeper.
And just lobbed his crossbar too.
Trying to find new ways to score.
It's the only way they can beat each other anymore.
I've rarely seen a team brimming with so much confidence.
Alan Smith tries that.
Steve McClaren would have liked Carrick tonight.
Solskjaer.
Cristiano Ronaldo.
Hat-trick hunting.
He actually apologised to Rueda for not passing to him.
Now that might just be a first, you know.
Always looks for the return when he does go at pace.
Now Solskjaer.
Oh, he's lobbed the goalkeeper.
How good a goal would that have been?
Well, they're just moving the ball so well.
And remember, they're a very young team, United.
Totti hasn't let his head go down.
He's kicked at it.
And there's some pride.
De Rossi.
Oh, that's a really good goal.
In keeping.
Oh, it's been ruled out, has it?
No, it is a goal.
They look to the linesman for a moment.
Well, we've had some terrific goals tonight.
Beat to Solskjaer.
Now Patrice Evra.
Never goal in Europe.
Just adds to the humiliation for Roma.
And adds to the tally that Manchester United are building.
A magnificent seven.
Ends one of the truly magnificent nights in United's European history.
They've beaten Roma 7-1 on the night.
8-3 on aggregate.
To reach their first Champions League semi-final in five years.
And the fourth in the club's history.
